Wire dispensing means



E. F. JOHNSON WIRE DISPENSING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I fifvlilllllllllll INVENTOR. icj/lfis z m; Witavzeg March 9, 1965 Filed April 36, 1962 March 9, 1965 E. F. JOHNSON 3,172,617

WIRE DISPENSING MEANS Filed April 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 hmmll l March 9, 1965 E. F. JOHNSON WIRE DISPENSING MEANS INVENTOR.

5Z0]; 4 f0/z/260/2 BY 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 30, 1962 United States Patent Ofi 3,172,617 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 ice 3,172,617 WIRE DISPENSING MEANS Elton F. Johnson, 2013% S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls, S. Dak. Filed Apr. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 191,139 3 Claims. (Cl. 242129.5)

This invention relates to wire dispensing means.

A primary object of the invention is to provide novel supporting means for a coil or coils of electric wire whereby tangling of same is avoided upon withdrawing the wire from the supporting means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of wire dispensing means in the form of a wheeled container and wherein the container is provided with openings for visualizing the amount of wire within the container at any time in the operation thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of novel means for releasably supporting coils of electric wire and wherein the said means is capable of being moved about with dispatch.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the improved wire dispensing means in accordance with one structural embodiment thereof.

FIG. 2 is a diametrical view of one of several wire coil containing units or cartons in the structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wire controlling means shown in exploded form.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view disclosing a modified embodiment of the wire controlling means.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view disclosing a further modified embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 but disclosing a modified embodiment of the invention wherein the structures shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 are shown in relation to a wire containing carton.

FIG. 7 is an inside plan view of the back wall of the box structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a side view of one of the springs shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 is a diametrical section of an open wire coil supporting member as supported by each of the said springs.

FIG. 10 is a broken isometric view showing a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 11 is an isometric view as observed from the back of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the structure of FIG. 11 in horizontal position.

FIG. 13 is a view corresponding to FIG. 12 but wherein the wire dispensing means is in a position in angular relation to the horizontal.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and first to FIGS. 1, 10, 11, 12, and 13, it will be seen that the novel structure embodies a generally rectangular housing 10, which, as is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 11, is of relatively small depth and which comprises a bottom wall 11, a top wall 12, opposed end walls 13, a front wall 14 and a removable rear wall 15. The rear Wall 15 terminates above the bottom wall 11, as indicated at 16 in FIG. 11, and the upper edge of rear wall 15 is releasably retained by means of suitable catches 17.

The housing 10 at the bottom of the front wall thereof and at the lower edge thereof may be provided with rubber bumpers 18, as shown in FIG. 1, and at the bottom of the rear wall thereof of the housing is provided with rollers 19 for expediting movement of the housing from one position to another.

The housing 10 is provided with a suitable handle 20 for transporting same from some position to others thereof.

As is indicated in FIG. 1, the housing 10 provides for the carrying of four wire guide units, one form of which is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 and which comprises a wire housing or carton 22 for containing a coil or roll of wire 21, the wire housing or carton 22 being disposed between the rear wall 15 and the front wall 14.

Each of the wire housings or cartons is provided with a wire guide unit 23 which unit comprises the cooperating members 24 and 25, the former of which is provided with a convex wall 26 which merges into a conduit 27 disposed with-in a stem 28 and which conduit is axially aligned with a conduit in the detachable member 25, as shown in FIG. 3, whereby Wire drawn from a wire housing or carton 22 is acquired from the belled ends 29 of the member 25.

As will be obvious upon inspection of FIG. 2, wire will be released from the wire housing or carton 22 without any tangling thereof due to the novel structure above described.

In order to observe the wire within the housing 10, the front wall 14 is provided with triangular openings 30 with each member 25 passing through an aperture 31 in wall 14 and being disposed between the openings 30.

As will be obvious from FIG. 2, the wire 21 drawn from the wire housing or carton 22 will, in its passage through member 25, move about the axis thereof without any delaying friction or uncoiling and twisting of the wire.

In lieu of the construction shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown in the modified embodiment of FIG. 4, a short length of hose 32 which extends through a compression nut 34 disposed within the front wall 14 of the housing 10 and a coil wire 36 functions to provide smooth movement of the wire to avoid tangling thereof.

The rear wall 15 is provided with leaf springs 37, FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, which yieldably urge the wire housings or cartons 22 toward the front wall 14.

The rear wall 15 is provided with means for supporting the housing 10 in angular position and is particularly shown in FIG. 13 and such means in a preferred embodiment thereof comprises a pair of legs 38, corresponding ends of which are pivoted as at 39 to wall 15 and the free ends of which are provided with suitable rubber tips 40.

A rubber bumper 41 is preferably disposed adjacent each pivot member 39 and a friction catch 42 is disposed between the legs 38 to engage the connection of the crossbar 35 connecting the two legs 38.

In FIG. 10 is shown an embodiment of the invention wherein a three compartment structure is provided by the provision of a central wire container having two triangular light apertures 43 and a single triangular light aperture 44 at each side thereof.

For electrical construction work a five unit device has been found to be the most practical and which construction is provided by a second and smaller housing 50, as is shown in the structure of FIG. 1, and the smaller housing is provided with a wire carton similar to that shown in FIG. 2.

Another modified embodiment of the invention is disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6 and which embodies a cone 51 for cooperation with member 24 when using open coil wire only.

The cone is provided at the wide open end thereof with a pair of diametrically opposed hooks 5-2 which upon rotation of the cone about its vertical axis engages the opposi-te sides of a bar 53 spanning the base or back of the wire housing or carton 22.

Having described the invention in detail, it is apparent that I have invented a portable carrier for holding coiled wire either in a carton as shown in FIG. 2 or 6, or a container as shown in FIG. 9, wherein the wire can be dispensed from the portable carrier so that the wire will not become entangled as it is dispensed from the carrier.

The invention further provides for a carrier in which different types of wire, i.e., gauges of wire can be transported to a position of use by one installing electrical wire.

Having set forth the invention in accordance with a preferred structural embodiment thereof, What is claimed and desired to be secured by US. Letters Patent is:

1. Wire dispensing means comprising a rectangular housing having front and rear walls, a second and smaller rectangular housing disposed upon one side of said first housing centrally thereof, Wire guide units disposed within said housings, and said wire guide units each comprising, in operative association with a. Wire carton, a convex guide member for ent-raining the wire passing therethrough.

2. Wire dispensing means according to claim 1, wherein said guide member comprises an outwardly directed cone.

3. Wire dispensing means comprising a relatively narrow rectangular housing, means supporting a plurality of wire containing cartons within said housing, and means permitting the withdrawing of lengths of wire from the several cartons through the wall of said housing, together with an additional rectangular housing having wire withdrawal guide means disposed centrally of said first wire dispensing means on the outside of said first mentioned housing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,474,580 11/23 Clark et al. 242-137.1 1,815,532 7/31 Vesey 242-428 2,348,219 5/44 Kennison 242129 X 2,477,059 7/49 Hill 242137.1 2,598,716 6/52 Nygaard 24254.1 2,620,997 12/52 Lyon 242-128 2,660,381 11/53 Friedl et a1 242129 X FOREIGN PATENTS 943,461 3/49 France.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

25 JOSEPH P. STRIZAK, RUSSELL C. MADER,

Examiners. 

1. AIRE DISPENSING MEANS COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR HOUSING HAVING FRONT AND REAR WALLS, A SECOND AND SMALLER RECTANGULAR HOUSING DISPOSED UPON ONE SIDE OF SAID FIRST HOUSING CENTRALLY THEREOF, WIRE UNITS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOUSINGS, AND SAID WIRE GUIDE UNITS EACH COMPRISING, IN OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION WITH A WIRE CARTON, A CONVEX GUIDE MEMBER FOR ENTRAINING THE WIRE PASSING THERETHROUGH. 